Scared
by oXXb00kw0rmXXo
Summary: Mark is scared, but it's not exactly what Roger and Mimi expect him to be scared about. Mothers' Day fic! Oneshot Post-RENT


**Happy Mothers' Day to all! Considering Mark's not-so-great relationship with his parents, I thought it would be interesting to have a Mothers' Day with their family. This is Post-Rent, though I suppose you could put it during Rent if you really wanted to. Nobody but Benny, Mark, Roger, and Mimi are really mentioned, though.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RENT. Thank you, Jonathan Larson!**

* * *

I shook Roger awake frantically, my hands shaking. He bolted upright instantly. I sighed; he had been sleeping so lightly lately. In his worry for Mimi's health, he was letting his own go to waste. So, it was up to me to watch after both of them, plus Collins.

But that wasn't my concern at the moment.

"What?" he asked, glassy eyed from sleep. "Is everything all right? Is Mimi okay?"

I sat down beside him on the bed. It was almost ten in the morning, but neither of us were really awake.

"I'm scared," I whispered. Roger's expression softened and he looked at me with pity.

"Mark, you know, it's sort of –"

"Hey, guys!" Mimi interrupted him and slid into the room gracefully. She winked, still looking thin, but better. "Mark, why aren't you at work?" I had, unfortunately, taken back my job at Buzzline.

"It's Sunday," I reminded her. She nodded.

"Oh, yeah. So, what's up?" She wedged herself between me and Roger, giving him a peck on the cheek.

"I'm scared," I repeated. Roger rolled his eyes.

"He's being stupid," he told her. I glared.

"I am not! I have a genuine fear!"

"Roger," Mimi scolded. "That's mean. Of course Mark is scared. You don't look very healthy right now. Have you been eating right?"

"Oh, yes, I get three square meals a day chock full of vitamins and nutrients!" Roger said sarcastically. "We barely have enough money for rent and AZT."

"I could probably get you some food from the Catstratch," Mimi offered. Roger and I both shook our heads.

"No, but thanks," I said. "We're fine." We exchanged a glance, smiling slightly about the "code". A-N-G-E-L. She was always the one with the flow.

"Anyhow," Mimi continued, unfazed and oblivious to our look. "Mark, it's okay to be scared about this. We're going to be okay, though." Roger and I turned to her, surprised.

"What are you talking about?" Roger demanded. Mimi looked confused.

"Isn't Mark scared about what's going to happen about us?"

I laughed. "Usually, but today, I've got scarier things at hand." I dropped my voice to a whisper. "I need to call my mother."

Mimi gaped at me. "That's what's so scary? Mark!"

"I was trying to tell you, hon," Roger said, exasperated. "But you wouldn't let me. It's pathetic. He can't call his mother on Mothers' Day!"

"Yep," Mimi agreed, and then blanked. "Wait… it's Mothers' Day?"

"Yes," I said slowly. "That's the whole issue here."

"Crap! I forgot! I gotta call Mama! Bye, guys!" She burst out of the room in a flurry.

Roger and I sighed. "So," I asked slowly. "What's for breakfast?"

"Nothing until you call your mother."

"That's not fair," I retorted. "I'm hungry. What about your mom?"

"Called her last night. Go call, now."

I groaned and made my way to the phone. As I picked up the receiver, the lights went dead.

"Yes!" I cried happily. "Yes, I can't call!" Roger, who had followed me, crossed his arms and thought. Finally, he reached into his jacket, which was laying nearby, and withdrew and handful of coins. He shoved them into my hands, interrupting my happy dance.

"Get a pay phone," he ordered. "And call your mother."

So, I trudged out of the apartment under Roger's watchful eye and dragged myself to a phone booth. I could feel eyes on me, watching. Children and husbands were out, carrying flowers and gifts.

With a deep breath, I stuck the coins into the slot and dialed my parents' house.

"Hello?" my dad answered after many rings.

"Hi, Dad. It's me." He didn't say anything, so I continued. "Mark. It's me, Mark. Is Mom there?"

"Oh, right. Mark. Sorry, didn't recognize the number."

"The power's out, I'm on a pay phone. Can you get Mom? I haven't got many coins left."

"Sure, sure," Dad said. I could hear him walking through the house. "So, how's your 'filmmaking' going?"

"Fine," I answered shortly. "Finished a documentary. And I'm working for Buzzline again."

"Oh, right. Forgot about that. Well, good job, then. I, um, I'll have to remember to watch the show. You know, see some of your footage."

"Yeah," I said lamely. "That would be cool."

"Uh-huh. Well, here's your mother." The phone was switched from person to person.

"Hello?" Mom's voice rang.

"Hey, Mom. It's Mark."

"Oh!" she gasped. "Mark! I'm so glad to hear from you, you haven't called in days! Is everything all right?"

"The power keeps blowing, sorry," I mumbled. "Everything's fine. Um… Happy Mothers' Day."

There was a pause. "Well," she finally said. "Thank you."

"Um… right. You're welcome." This conversation could not get any weirder, I decided. Wait – it could. I sighed. As long as I was doing this, I might as well be thorough. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Mark." I smiled, unsure of what to say next. "You have to go, don't you?"

"Yeah, I'm at a payphone," I admitted.

"Call me when you get your power back," Mom ordered, and then softened. "I watched your footage that aired yesterday. It was very good. Who was the boy with the guitar at the Life Support meeting? He played well."

I laughed. "That's my roommate, Roger. Alexi said that I have to stop filming that stuff, though. She wants 'important news' which doesn't constitute the HIV and AIDS epidemic."

"I think that's important," Mom told me.

"So do I," I agreed. "But Buzzline doesn't. If we didn't need the money so badly, I'd quit. I've sold my soul."

"For quite a bit of money."

"Eh, it's not worth it."

"It's not."

It took me a few seconds to register what she had said. "Wait – it's not worth it? Where did that come from?"

"I've always believed in you, Mark. It's just that I wish you wouldn't be so far from home, and so out of contact." Mom's words were heartfelt and I couldn't help but have tears spring to my eyes. Why was I reacting like this? Now that was stupid!

Please insert another quarter if you would like to continue your call, the phone chimed. Oh, ruin a perfect moment, will you? I groaned and ground my teeth. Of all days for Benny to cut our power… I was going to call his mother next!

"Mom, I've really got to –"

"Oh, yes, Mark, go ahead, I understand. Call me, okay?"

"Okay," I agreed.

"Promise?"

I promised her and hung up with a sense of pride. I had overcome my fear of talking to my mother, and even gotten something good out of it. I caught Mimi out of the corner of my eye and called her over – the little spy. I reported that my conversation went well and that she could tell it all to Roger – and some more, of course.

As she walked away, I remembered – Fathers' Day was a month away.

* * *

I returned to the apartment with a feeling of dread.

"Hey, how'd it go?" Roger asked, handing me a bowl of Captain Crunch. "Mimi said that it sounded good." I sat down glumly, scooping cereal into my mouth. I was starving, especially because I had been deprived food before.

"I'm scared," I told him simply.

"Oh, not again!" he grumbled. "What is it this time? A spider or something?"

"No. Fathers' Day is next month."

Roger didn't respond for a moment. "Aw, crap. Do you think Benny could turn off the power that day? We could always say that we had no quarters…"

"I'll see what I can do," I decided and stood to deposit my bowl into the sink. Roger screamed at the top of his lungs suddenly.

"What? What is it?" I twirled around, concerned.

"A spider! A spider!" I grinned to myself.

And he called me pathetic?

"Roger! Roger!" Mimi's voice penetrated my silent taunting. "I got the results!"

"You what?" I asked. Roger was still trying to kill the bug.

"I got my results. We're having a baby!"

There was a thud. I turned around to see Roger lying on the ground, unconscious. I smiled at Mimi broadly.

"Congratulations," I told her, clapping her shoulder quickly. "You just helped me get ultimate payback at Roger."

"Glad to help," she winked and giggled. "By the way, Mark – I really am."

The bump on my head turned out to be twice the size of Roger's.

Happy Mothers' Day, indeed.

* * *

**This may be a a little late, but remember to tell your mothers Happy Mothers' Day and don't make Roger take away food from you! Seriously, no fun. Ask Mark. Anyhow, I have no intention of extending this because I generally don't like Mimi- pregnant stories (I don't really see the possibility of her living past two weeks after the end, thanks to the movie's commentary). I hope you enjoyed it! Feedback would be appreciated.**


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